Louie Duck and the halfhearted search for the spirit of Christmas
by AgentOfAngst
Summary: Wow, titles can be really long. Missing Uncle Donald after the return of Della, Louie doesn't know if he wants to celebrate Christmas this year. Day 5 of my 12 days of Christmas challenge.


**I don't think anyone in any tv show except Infinity Train (story coming Friday) knows the timeline so I'm just saying there was probably a Christmas in between Della coming home and Donald coming home and I don't think even Frank Angones could tell me otherwise. **

**Enjoy!**

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Dewey poked his head in the room, saw Louie moping on the bottom bunk, and nodded.

"So it's your year to find the Spirit of Christmas?" They switched off every year which one of them would be the mopey one who wasn't in the mood for Christmas until they found the spirit of Christmas through introspection and occasionally through time travel. It was a Christmas tradition.

"Yep," Louie said, staring at the bunk above him.

"Is it because Uncle Donald isn't here?" Dewey guessed.

"Yep."

"Might I recommend wistfully staring at the really bright star outside, or looking sadly at a photo?"

"I'll keep that in mind," Louie muttered. Dewey climbed onto the bed next to Louie. Louie groaned and scooted over.

"I'm totally on board for you to spend part of Christmas Eve in the room moping because traditions are traditions, but this is mom's first Christmas with us, and that's kind of special I think. So maybe you could find the spirit of Christmas a little faster?"

"I'll keep that in mind too. Give me at least another hour to find Christmas."

"Okay, but make sure you're down for dinner, at least…"

"Yup."

"Oh, I got you something!" Dewey remembered, getting up and grabbing a can of Pep that he'd gotten.

"Thanks, Dewey. Best Christmas present ever." He took a swig and regifted the can.

"Come down soon," Dewey pleaded, "mom got us Christmas presents." Louie crossed his arms and looked out the window.

"I don't really want presents." Dewey stepped back and blinked.

"What did you do with my brother?"

"I'm not just materialistic. Christmas isn't about presents, it's about family."

"You're right, so come be with your family."

"I… Just give me another hour."

"Okay. Sorry to bug you, I just know this is important to mom."

It wouldn't really be Louie's alone time if both of his brothers didn't pay a visit to see if there was something wrong with him. At least Dewey understood that not being in the Christmas spirit was part of their Christmas traditions. Huey didn't get that at all. Huey was all in on the Christmas spirit, and he wanted to share it with everyone.

"Hey, Louie, I brought you some hot cocoa."

"Cool."

"Dewey said you didn't care about presents this year," Huey commented, sitting down on Louie's bed while Louie fiddled with a toy truck. Huey handed his brother the warm drink, which Louie accepted with half a smile.

"I might have said that. Do you remember when we were kids on the houseboat and we used to get really cheap toys and stuff we didn't necessarily ask for? And how, even though it might not have been what we wanted out of Christmas, it was kind of nice because Uncle Donald was trying his best to provide for us?"

"I miss him too, I hope he comes back soon," Huey said.

"Mom's Christmas isn't going to be like that. It's not going to be the same kind of special."

"But it will be special, Louie. It's mom's first Christmas with us. This is really important to her. Please come spend Christmas with us?"

"I will, maybe. Definitely tomorrow. Maybe not tonight."

"Oh, okay. Just think about it, okay? For mom?" Louie sighed and nodded.

"I'll think about it."

Mom quickly proved how important Christmas was to her when she came into the room not long after Huey left, the steam still rising from his mug of hot cocoa.

"Hey, bud! Dewey explained to me that this was your year to hide in the room until you find the spirit of Christmas. I don't really understand that tradition but I thought I'd come to check on you."

"Thanks, mom." He didn't love having his brooding interrupted but what was more seasonal than relatives invading your space? He sat up, rolling the toy truck he'd been playing with to the other end of the bed, and gave her space next to him.

Della sat down and smiled at him, and he forced a smile in return.

"Are you doing okay?" She asked, putting an arm around him. He managed to not flinch away, not always the most comfortable with hugs and stuff. His mom was trying but she didn't understand him. At least, he didn't think she did.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're hiding in your room," Della pointed out.

"What? I'm not hiding," Louie laughed nervously. She sighed.

"I get it, Louie. This is a weird year. I spent so many Christmases alone, missing you three, Scrooge, and Donald. And I miss Donald too right now. I don't know how Christmas went with your uncle. I don't know all the traditions and even if I did I doubt I would understand all of them. But I know how hard it is when traditions change. Even when they change for the good."

"So you get why I'm up here, right?" Louie asked.

"I imagine that the changes are scaring you the way they're scaring me. I'm sure you've noticed, but I don't really know how to be a mother. And, on the other hand, I'm sure that you don't really know how to have a mother. So this is a lot of change for both of us."

"That's… Yeah, that's it, that's what is, perfectly in words. I don't want to be scared of change but I find myself afraid, no matter what."

"It's okay to be afraid, Louie. We'll face our fears together. You and I are a lot alike," Della pulled her son closer, and he sniffled. He didn't say what he was thinking, that being like her was sometimes what he was afraid of. Because people like her messed up and let people down, and that's what he excelled at. He was afraid he couldn't emulate the good in her the way he so easily copied the negative traits. Change was coming and if it knew what was good for it, it would leave him behind.

"I don't really want to go down there tonight. Tomorrow I'll celebrate but not tonight. Is that okay?" Della nodded.

"Would it be alright if I stayed a little longer, Louie? We could just sit here." It was Louie's turn to nod, and they spent a few moments in silence, appreciating the quiet and the company, separate from the fear.

Far, far away from the Ducks that were missing him, Donald hardly acknowledged the Holiday. Had he realized that it was Christmas he would have felt that much more alone. Fortunately for him, he didn't realize that this was one more Christmas that he and his sister wouldn't be together for. Hopefully, this one would be the last time they were apart.

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**Until Christmas, I'll be releasing a story every day that has a Christmas-y theme.**

**Today was ****Ducktales, coming up is Up, Infinity Train, Rise of the Guardians, Gravity Falls, Dear Evan Hansen, Percy Jackson, and finally, Teen Titans. **


End file.
